Saturday, September 30, 2006

The Mark Foley boy-sex scandal keeps taking more disturbing twists and turns. My friend John over at Americablog has all the creepy angles covered (he even spoke about it on CNN this afternoon). It seems the GOP leadership -- all the way up to House Speak Dennis Hastert -- were well-aware of Foley's lurid behavior, yet they all opted to treat it as a political issue rather than the potentially criminal matter that it was. Click here for all the details.

Friday, September 29, 2006

Just yesterday Rep. Mark Foley (R-Fla.) and his people were saying there was nothing untoward about a number of e-mails he'd sent to a 16-year-old former Capitol Hill page. Today Foley 52, who had been considered a shoo-in for re-election until the e-mails surfaced in recent days, abruptly resigned from office.

I'd never heard of Foley before this story broke but it didn't take long for me to dig up some oh-so-predictable facts about the confirmed REPUBLICAN bachelor.

In late 2000, Foley played a large role in aiding George W. Bush during the presidential election recount controversy in Florida. When stories later surfaced that Foley was gay or bisexual, he held a press conference to denounce the "revolting" rumors. Foley is chairman of the House Caucus on Missing and Exploited Children and is one of the foremost critics in the House of child pornography. In 2002 he introduced a bill to outlaw Web sites featuring sexually suggestive images of preteen children, saying that "these Web sites are nothing more than a fix for pedophiles."

Some interesting information about a man who asked this high-school boy for a "pic" of himself, engaged in a series of sexually explicit instant messages with current and former teenage male pages (in one message, ABC said, Foley wrote to one page: "Do I make you a little horny?") (UM, NO.) and commented to the boy that his friends on his MySpace page sure looked like they were "in great shape." Sure, Foley is 100 percent responsible for his actions (and I fear this is just the tip of the iceberg). But again, this is one of the sick byproducts of growing up in a society that so often forces people to deny who they really are. Only bad things can come of it.

I'd never even heard of actor Zen Gesner, but one look at his profile on HunkyMaleCelebrities.com and I was smitten. It's a good thing I've never been a photo editor before because I can never narrow it down to just two or three photos. With a mug like Zen's I'm guessing you don't really mind this shortcoming of mine though ...

McGreevey's Big Gay Night Out: I was a little taken aback at the hostile response to my post about Jim McGreevey's appearance on Oprah last week. I never implied in any way that he was an exemplary governor (although I know enough to know that if every politician were thrown out of office for hiring people for the wrong reason then there would be no politicians), nor did I say he was any sort of role model. Nonetheless, all of the attacks seemed to be predicated on the assumption that I thought he was both of these things. The only thing I took away from his appearance was a better understanding of how he could have done the rotten things he did. And being a gay man, I was trying to get across to you how much I could relate to a lot of the issues he addressed. Period. Why as gay men are we so hypercritical of our own, and so quick to condemn him just because some of us were wise enough to not make some of the same (poor) choices he did. Apparently I'm not alone in my feelings. About 80 like-minded people showed up for his book signing in DC and I can't help but think it was therapeutic for all involved. (WP)

State of Denial: More disturbing news about the war in Iraq. A new book by Bob Woodward claims that the White House ignored an urgent warning in September 2003 from a top Iraq adviser who said that thousands of additional American troops were desperately needed to quell the insurgency there. The book says President Bush's top advisers were often at odds among themselves, and sometimes were barely on speaking terms, but shared a tendency to dismiss as too pessimistic assessments from American commanders and others about the situation in Iraq. Donald Rumsfeld became so hostile toward Condoleezza Rice that the president had to intervene to tell him he must return her phone calls. (NYT)

Dreaming of Zack and Slater: I'll bet when you fantasized that a sex tape would surface starring one of the boys from "Saved by the Bell" you weren't hoping for this. (TMZ)

D'uh: The author at the center of an elaborate literary hoax is finally coming clean about something that has been common knowledge for quite some time: Laura Albert is acknowledging that she is JT LeRoy, the supposed male author of gritty, graphic, best-selling novels like "Sarah" and "The Heart is Deceitful Above All Things." Although her interview with the Paris Review is supposed to be a mea culpa, her take on whether or not she feels shame about misleading people is, uh, deceitful above all things: "If knowing that I'm 15 years older than (LeRoy) devalues the work, then I'm sorry they feel that way." For those keeping score, LeRoy is a purported 25-year-old former male prostitute and drug addict born in 1980 who drew from his own experiences hustling, living on the streets and selling sex for his literary work. Albert is separated, 40-year-old mother of one son. (AP) // Related: Deceitful Above All Things and JT LeRoy Sighting

Ugly Betties: A hundred actresses dressed up as ABC's version of ugly descended upon New York's key tourist spots Thursday to promote "Ugly Betty," the American take on a hit Colombian TV series that has become popular throughout the world. I saw a number of ugly people yesterday on my way to work in Times Square, yet oddly none of these gals. (AP)

98 Degrees and Falling: Before my crush on Nick Lachey fully kicked in it was fellow 98 Degree bandmate Jeff Timmons who had my heart. Lucky for him a judge in Florida gave him a year's probation for a DUI incident earlier this year. (People)

Salt in the Wound: While the White House has long insisted they barely knew of or had any contact with the disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff, a bipartisan congressional report documents a very different picture. The House Government Reform Committee report, based on e-mail messages and other records subpoenaed from Abramoff's lobbying firm, found 485 contacts between Abramoff's lobbying team and White House officials from 2001 to 2004, including 82 with Karl Rove's office. Being the "partisan Democrat" that I am you might think this would make me happy. Yet at this point in the game I find it (oddly) makes my stomach turn. (WP)

My cute mom, Molly, working the frosted lipstick with her three little boys -- Kenny, Terence and Billy -- in the hallway of our house on Tawas Court in Madison Heights, Michigan, circa 1970. Looks like St. Patrick's Day to me (and I've already dirtied my green shirt).

Thursday, September 28, 2006

The gym Equinox is busy celebrating its 15th anniversary today filling the streets with people giving out free copies of the NY Post with their insignia and membership offers all over them. I already belong to another gym, but the photos are reason enough to join in the festivities.

Der Wienerschnitzel: I don't know how I missed this great profile on Berlin's first openly gay mayor, Klaus Wowereit. His nickname is Wowi, he came out to the public in 2001 by saying "I'm gay, and it's good that way," he LOVES Madonna and his Bavarian boy toy boyfriend is a neurosurgeon 12 years his junior --- oh, and did I mention that there's talk that he could be Germany's next prime minister? How do you say "fabulous!" in German? (NYT)

I Knew She Had a Bug Up Her Butt, But ... : Republican NY state attorney general candidate Jeanine Pirro said Wednesday she was under federal investigation for plotting to secretly record her husband to find out whether he was having another affair. Her millionaire hubby, lobbyist Albert Pirro, spent 11 months in prison after being convicted on tax fraud charges in 2000 and fathered an illegitimate daughter after their wedding in 1975. This is just the type of person we need as New York's attorney general. (AP)

History Repeats: Why did those three Republican "rebel senators" bother pushing back at the President Bush over the bill on detainees if in the end everyone was just going to throw in the towel and let him do -- once again -- whatever he wants, however he wants. Haven't we learned anything in the past four years? Are the Democrats just going to whine about the dismantling of the Constitution and the Geneva Conventions only after it's said and done? (Hint: yes.) (WP)

Out of Style: The one stylebook that I have never had any use for -- the Chicago Manual of Style -- is going online today. The price for the online version will be $25 for individuals for the first year, $30 thereafter, and more for institutions, depending on their size. The list price of the hardcover print version is $55. If I were you I'd skip that crap and get yourself over to TheSlot.com or buy "Lapsing Into a Comma"and "The Elephants of Style" by Bill Walsh. They're far more useful -- and amusing -- and I'm not even saying that because I get a family kickback. (NYT)

Cry for Help: If Terrell Owens really did attempt suicide (the paramedics are certain he did) and then get shoved out by his handlers to do a press conference denying the whole thing, then that's some really fucked up shit. (AP)

She's No 'Betty': So are you excited for the premiere of "Ugly Betty" tonight? I am -- and even remembered to set my DVR. The funniest thing about this show is that it's kind of the same premise as "The Devil Wears Prada," except that "hideous" Anne Hathaway is practically a runway model for the ages. (WP)

Fat Chance: It what has to be a violation of countless laws, New York City's Board of Health wants to try to limit the amount of trans fat restaurants can put in their foods. This is ridiculous. If you want to limit the amount of fat you have in your diet, limit it yourself. (Xinhuanet)

As you probably heard, the U.S. got its ass handed to it by Russia in the semifinals of the Davis Cup last weekend. This Marat Safin-Andy Roddick photo op was about the only good thing to come out of the whole thing (insert meat-in-that-sandwich joke here). (AP)

I traded links with Jay Z over at undiesdrawer.com tonight. He seems like a cool guy and wrote a nice post about my blog today. If you've got an underwear fetish -- and don't most gay guys? -- you'll definitely wanna stop by Jay's blog to say hi.

My conversation with Jay prompted me to want to write this open post to all of my fellow bloggers out there regarding linking. Many of the people affected by this I have written to personally, but just in case I missed anyone I just wanted to clarify my feelings on the situation: I don't link to sites that contain frontal nudity. On very rare occasion I will throw in a risque link if there is something extraordinary that I think my readers will like (I think it's only happened once in the past year, and it involved proof that Colin Farrell does not suffer from the Irish curse). It's not that I don't appreciate those type of sites, it's just that my blog is read by many of my co-workers, friends and family members (Mom?), so I try to keep it R-rated at best (or should that be at worst?). I know I've occasionally "stolen" a photo from another blog that I just had to have but didn't link back because the site it came from is full of hardons and cockshots. (Sorry! I try to at least throw in a "thank you" even if I don't link back.)

I also try to limit my blogroll to sites that are in English. This has more to do with the American education system and my shortcomings in learning a second language than it does about your blog. Thanks, kw

Wednesday, September 27, 2006

I caught my first episode of MTV's latest high school reality offering "Two-a-Days" last night. The Times' Virginia Heffernan accurately describes the show's main stars -- Max Lerner and Alex Binder -- as "two achingly beautiful white guys who bring to mind James Dean and Warren Beatty plus 100 pounds of muscle; if producers are hoping for some 'Splendor in the Grass' melodrama, these two are the guys to bet on." (She also laments the lack of screen time for Hoover football teammate Repete, a name from which I'm still recovering from laughing.)

I guess this officially makes me a "dirty old man" now, but these two guys are really just too much, and surely there's nothing wrong with looking. And besides, isn't the age of consent in Alabama around 11 anyway?

The Third Sex: Back in 1956 Cheryl Chase was born intersex -- not entirely male, and not entirely female. On doctors' advice, she was raised as a boy for the first two years of her life until doctors discovered she had a uterus, and decided they'd made a mistake. How did they chose to correct this "mistake"? They completely removed her clitoris because they thought it would make her look more like a girl without it (her condition made it rather large, hence part of the initial confusion). I realize her parents were "doing the best they could," but her mother's explanation of why she allowed the doctors to do this is beyond pathetic: "I don't know what human genitals look like, exactly. I have never looked at myself, and I never looked closely at my children. The doctor said your clitoris had to go. Mine never meant anything to me, so I didn't think it was wrong to remove yours." Understandably, Chase has spent the better part of her adult life trying to convince the medical community -- and parents of intersex children -- that rushing babies into unnecessary (and frequently damaging) plastic surgery isn't the way to go, yet she's having a surprisingly hard to getting anyone to see her point. (I sure get it, Cheryl. Keep up the good fight.) (NYT)

Dr. Phat: Buyers of diet products endorsed by TV psychologist "Dr. Phil" McGraw will be eligible for cash refunds or replacement vitamin supplements under terms of a $10.5-million settlement of a lawsuit alleging that the products didn't work as advertised. I don't know about you, but I think anyone who takes diet advice from a middle-aged man television personality with a paunch and no fitness/nutrition credentials deserves to be fat. (LAT)

Some Attorney-Client Privilege: As if things couldn't get worse for Anna Nicole Smith, now her leech lawyer Howard K. Stern claims he's the father of her newborn daughter. Yuck. (AP)

Talk Too Much: Jilted exes Shar Jackson (Kevin Federline) and Marcia O'Brien (whose husband, Olympic skater Lloyd Eisler, left her for his "Skating with the Stars" partner and star of the film version of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" Kristy Swanson) appeared on "The Dr. Keith Ablow Show" (the what show?) to discuss having their mans stolen by "stars." The whole thing would have been perfect if they'd been able to dig up the woman Tori Spelling cockblocked to marry Dean McDermott, but apparently that one was too busy writing a "tell-all book" about the ordeal to appear on the show. (TMZ)

'Top' Story? Should CNN be renaming the show "Anderson Cooper 69"? If studly Thomas Roberts is going to be a regular on the show, we can only hope. (QB)

Like Hitting a Bee Hive With a Baseball Bat: The war in Iraq has become a "cause celebre" for Islamic militants, "breeding a deep resentment" of the U.S. in the Muslim world, according to declassified excerpts from a major intelligence report that were released late Tuesday afternoon. The report cites four factors fueling the spread of Islamic militancy: entrenched grievances and a sense of powerlessness; the Iraq "jihad"; the slow pace of reform in Muslim nations; and "pervasive anti-U.S. sentiment among most Muslims." It identified the jihad in Iraq as one of four underlying factors fueling the spread of the Islamic radicalism, along with entrenched grievances, the slow pace of reform and pervasive anti-America sentiment amount most Muslims. (BBC)

Urban Outfitters: I've been wondering how schools were handling all of these 11-year-old girls wearing "Your Boyfriend Is a Good Kisser" and "I Know What Boys Want" T-shirts. (WP)

It's no secret that I'm hopelessly stuck in the '80s, so I know exactly who Shakespear's Sister is. And I know who Jules Shears is. But after flipping through Rolling Stone last night somehow I feel like I should know who Scissor Sisters and Jake Shears are. Right?

Tuesday, September 26, 2006

So I'm minding my own business walking to the subway to go to work today when I see thisin the window of a clothing store on Eighth Avenue. There goes my concentration for the day ...(Photo by Scott Henrichsen)

I had never even heard of Eric Dane until his Bathhouse Betty photos with Patrick Dempsey on "Grey's Anatomy" began circulating yesterday in the blogsphere, but now I just can't get enough. He's like the love child brother of George Eads and Chris O'Donnell, only sexier than both. And he's married to Dylan McKay's gorgeous dead wife Rebecca Gayheart, who is best known for her real-life role in the vehicular-homicide of a 9-year-old boy. Way to go, Eric! Apparently I need to watch more network TV ...

Facts of Life: Oscar winner George Clooney shrugged off suggestions Monday that he might run for political office. Clearly, Most Pompous Man in Hollywood was an office he had no problem running for. (AP)

On His Shiite List: Mel Gibson criticizes Iraq war at film fest: "Of course, those damn Jew producers don't want the real story told!" (AP)

Self-Hate, the Work of God? Kyle Rice, a gay 19-year-old from Longview, Wash., writes on TheAdvocate.com that he "hates being gay." Funny, after reading his twisted essay I'm not too keen on his being gay either. (And his bangs kind of bug me, too.) (Advocate)

Dude Looks Like He's Diseased: I think the only way this would have been news if Steven Tyler somehow didn't have Hepatitis C. (ITV)

Virginia Is for Biggots: PC-challenged Senator George Allen just can't keep his racist foot out of his mouth. (AP)

The University of Arizona's first fraternity geared toward gay men has received its national charter. Delta Lambda Phi, which completed rush this month, is also open to men who are on the road to Gayville bisexual. "We were one of the fastest charters in history because we were dedicated to this," said Christopher Newman, 23, a senior education major and founding member. I'm predicting the most wonderfully decorated house on frat row and late-night games of chandeliers played with little glasses of Absolut and soda. (AP)

Monday, September 25, 2006

Once again, Jake Plummer's on top of Tom Brady. In the ultimate NFL Battle of the Hot Quarterbacks, my man Jake Plummer and his Denver Broncos were too much for Tom Brady and the New England Patriots. This is about the only matchup I can sit through from beginning to end -- and boy was it was pleasure to watch. (AP)

I'm going to be getting a very late start blogging today, if at all. You can thank my friend Flickr (it's so addictive): I was scanning photos until 4 a.m., which included rescanning most of them after my computer crashed halfway through it all. I gotta hit the sack for now. Since there's not a lot of new stuff posted, if you're at all interested here are the four new sets I created last night: